St. Louis Metro: Median Home Price vs Household Income
St. Louis, MO-IL Metropolitan Statistical Area · 1963 to 2026 · nominal dollars
Sources: Home price: Census ACS median home value, St. Louis MSA (2005-2024), extended with the FHFA St. Louis house-price index (FRED ATNHPIUS41180Q) to 1975 and to the current quarter. Actual sold prices: MARIS MLS closed residential sales. Household income: Census ACS St. Louis MSA and Missouri statewide (FRED) for earlier years; the latest year is carried at the current wage-growth rate (BLS average hourly earnings). U.S. median sales price (context): FRED MSPUS. Figures update automatically from source data.
St. Louis home prices have outpaced incomes since the 1960s
Across the St. Louis metropolitan area, the median home price has risen faster than the median household income for most of the last six decades. In 1975 the typical St. Louis home was worth about $29,600. By 2026 the median home value is roughly $290,200, and the actual median sold price from MARIS MLS closed sales is about $270,000. Over the same stretch the typical household income grew from about $20,800 in 1984 to about $87,100 in 2026.
Put simply, home prices climbed roughly 10 times over while incomes rose about 4 times. The price-to-income ratio, a common gauge of housing affordability, moved from about 2.3 times income in 2000 to about 3.3 times income in 2026. A higher ratio means housing costs more relative to what people earn.
Is St. Louis still affordable?
Compared with the rest of the country, yes. The national median sales price reached about $403,200, while the St. Louis metro median sold price was about $270,000. St. Louis has stayed well below the national median for the entire period on the chart, running roughly $133,200 under it, which is a big reason the region keeps ranking among the more affordable large metros in the country.
Key takeaways
- St. Louis metro median home price in 2026: about $290,200 (Census value) and about $270,000 (MLS median sold price).
- St. Louis metro median household income in 2026: about $87,100.
- Home-price-to-income ratio: about 3.3 times, up from about 2.3 times in 2000.
- St. Louis remains roughly $133,200 below the national median sold price.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median home price in St. Louis?
As of 2026, the median sold price for a home in the St. Louis metro area is about $270,000, based on closed sales in the MARIS MLS. The Census median home value for the metro is about $290,200.
What is the median household income in St. Louis?
The median household income for the St. Louis metro area is about $87,100 in 2026, based on the latest Census data brought forward with current wage growth.
How much do you need to earn to buy a home in St. Louis?
With a median sold price near $270,000, the price is about 3.3 times the median household income. Most lenders look for a home price around three to four times income, so a household earning near the local median can still buy a typical St. Louis home.
Are St. Louis home prices going up?
Yes. The median sold price rose from about $189,900 in 2020 to about $270,000 in 2026, and the FHFA house price index for St. Louis has continued to climb.
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